The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1887-08-12
OVoSSo'S Opportunity /!
The T.A.A. & nm. Railway COm-
pany offer to locate their Shops
there for a Nominal Con-
SideratiOn
The Council Call a Special Election to
be held on the 22d inst. to see
if the people Of OVOSSo will
accept the Company'S
Proposition
NOW Is THE TIME FOR ACTION |!
NOW is THE TIME FOR ACTION /!
IT IS NOW OR MEYER !
Be Up and Doing !!

The people of the city of Owpsso
were pleasantly surprised one day last
week TO receive from President Ash
ley, of the T., a. A. & N. NJ. railway,
a proposition to establish their repair
shops in this city, with a guarantee
that they should remain here perpet-
ually. such a guarantee as under the
late decision of the Supreme Court of
the United States the company is
authorized to make, and which in all
cases will be binding on their sue
cessor, should the road pass out of
the hands of the present company
Mr.. Ashley said, what has long been
apparent to those who have watched
the wonderful development of the T.,
A.A.& NM. system, that Owosso was
the most desirable point on the lines
and contemplated lines, for the loca-
ton Of the shops, being central on the
main line and near the terminal point
Of each of their important side lines.
The proposition is substantially and
in brief as follows, The city to donate
for the use of the company sufficient
land for the shops, side tracks and
other necessary fixtures, and TO expend
the sum of $4,000, under the super.
vision of citizens committee in the
construction Of a round house and
buildings for shops. The company
do not ask that single dollar of the
money shall be paid to them, but that
1t shall be paid directly by the city
for the construction of the buildings.
The company expect to keep con-
stantiy employed in these shops not
less than 100 hands. besides some IS
resident engineers, from and after
their completion. That they do not
over state the number of men who
will be required in the shops is ap.
parent when we state that they nozV
have SO locomotives and 500 cars in
constant use, and that in less than
two years the additions to their lines
will compel them to at least double
the number. This rolling stock must
be kept in perfect repair, and the
labor demanded to do it is simply
enormous.
That these shops would fix this city
as the center of their system is self
evident fact, and that as a result, in
addition to the mechanics employed
in the shops, this would be the nat
ural home for many of the engineers,
conductors, brakemen, etc., employed
on the lines, and thus add several
hundred to the population. AT Fort
Gratiot are located the shops of the
Michigan Grand Trunk system; sys-
tenn not more extended than the Ashley
system is sure to be.in the near future,
and in these shops from seven to nine
men are econstantly employed,
and Mayor Hartsuff, of Port Huron,
said in his speech at the banquet of
Press Association, held
there week before last, that the pay
roll Of the men resident at Fort Ora.
tiot and Port Huron, practically,
though not actually one city, en-
ployed by the Michigan Grand Trunk
system, numbered 1900, and the
wages paid was from $r.a5 to $3.50
per day. AS a further proof of the
advantages of such shops to the peo-
pie where they are located, we print
The following correspondence between
secretary Lamfrom, of the Owosso
Business Mems Association. and pres
dent Kelsey, of the Ionia Business
Mems Exchange:
What dimensions are your
'hops7
How many hands are there en-
Dloyed in shops?